Glove with optional insert

ABSTRACT

A riding glove having particular application to be worn over the hand of one riding a bicycle to warm the fingers and thumb of the rider in cold or windy weather conditions. The riding glove includes an optional inner insert having relatively long finger and thumb sleeves into which the rider slides his fingers and thumb. A conventional outer glove member having relatively short finger and thumb sleeves, through which the longer finger and thumb sleeves of the inner insert are received, is pulled over the inner insert. The outer conventional glove member can be worn over the rider&#39;s hand in combination with or independently of the inner insert.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a glove having particular application to beworn over the hand of one riding a bicycle and including the combinationof an optional long-fingered insert lying under a conventionalshort-fingered glove member. Depending upon the weather conditions, theshort-fingered glove member may be worn alone and independently of thelong-fingered insert.

2. Background Art

As will be known to those who ride bicycles and similar vehicles, it isdesirable to wear gloves to not only cushion the rider's hands fromtheir grip with the handlebars but to keep the hands warm in chillyand/or windy conditions. A pair of short-fingered riding gloves arecommonly worn over the hands of a rider to achieve the aforementionedobjectives. In this case, the rider's fingers and thumb typically stickoutwardly from finger and thumb sleeves of the gloves within which therider's fingers and thumb are inserted. When it is particularly cold orwindy, the traditional short-fingered riding gloves are incapable ofcovering or warming the rider's finger and thumb tips which can, duringa long trip, result in an uncomfortable biking experience.

In the alternative, the rider may decide to use a pair of longerfingered gloves to completely cover his hands at the beginning of abicycle ride during cold or windy conditions. As the temperature risesor the wind subsides, the rider's hands may become warm. In time, therider's fingers and thumbs may begin to perspire inside the enclosuresprovided by the long-fingered gloves. In this case, the rider mayexperience another uncomfortable biking experience as a consequence ofhis hands overheating. Of course, the rider could decide to finish theride without any gloves at all which may also be undesirable.

Accordingly, what is needed is a glove that is adapted for use in bothcold and warm weather conditions so that the rider's hands can becovered and uncovered on an as-needed basis throughout the trip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general terms, a glove is disclosed with particular application to beworn over the hand of one riding a bicycle in both cold and warm weatherconditions. The glove includes an optional long-fingered insert that islocated on the rider's hand below a conventional short-fingered glovemember. The short-fingered glove member can be worn alone or incombination with the long-fingered insert.

The conventional glove member includes four finger sleeves and a thumbsleeve within which to slidably receive the fingers and thumb of therider. Each of the finger and thumb sleeves of the glove member isrelatively short and open ended so that the fingers and thumb of therider extend outwardly thereof for gripping the handle bars of abicycle. The optional insert includes a finger/thumb entrance openingthat is sized to surround the top of the rider's hand and lay across thefront of the hand within an area located between the rider's palm andthe bottoms of his fingers. Four relatively long finger sleeves and athumb sleeve extend above the finger/thumb opening within which toslidably receive and enclose the fingers and thumb of the rider toprovide an extra layer of warmth and protection against the wind.

In cold or windy weather conditions, the rider first slips his hand intothe long fingered insert via the finger/thumb entrance opening thereofsuch that his fingers and thumb are completely covered by the finger andthumb sleeves of the insert. The short-fingered glove member is thenpulled towards the rider's wrist so as to slide over top the insert. Inthis case, the relatively long finger and thumb sleeves of the innerinsert extend outwardly of and past the relatively short finger andthumb sleeves of the outer glove member so that the rider's finger andthumb tips will be covered and warmed. In warm weather conditions, theconventional short-fingered glove member can be worn independently ofthe optional long-fingered insert. In this case, the outer glove memberis first slid off the inner insert, and the inner insert is pulled offthe rider's hand. The rider then slides his hand back into the glovemember for the duration of the ride or until the weather conditionschange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a glove being worn over the hand of a wearer andhaving an optional insert according to a preferred embodiment of thisinvention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a conventional short-fingered glovemember being used in combination with an optional long-fingered insertto form the glove of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the optional insert of FIG. 3 being worn on the handof the wearer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A glove 1 according to a preferred embodiment of this invention isdescribed while referring concurrently to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings. Aswill soon be explained and as is best shown in FIG. 3, the glove 1includes each of a unique, optional long-fingered insert 3 and aconventional short-fingered glove member 5. The conventionalshort-fingered glove member 5 may be used either independently of theoptional long-fingered insert 3 or in combination with the insert 3 toform the glove 1. The glove member 5 used alone and the glove member 5used in combination with the insert 3 are sized and shaped to beslidably received by and worn over one hand of a wearer. For the glove1, the optional insert 3 and the conventional glove member 5 are usedtogether on one hand of the wearer with the glove member 5 located overthe insert 3 (best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2).

The glove 1 herein disclosed has particular application to be worn onthe hand of one riding a bicycle. In this case, the riding glove 1 isused to grip the handlebar (designated 7 in FIG. 1) of a bicycle, or thelike. However, it is to be expressly understood that the glove 1 mayalso be used for a variety of other gripping applications including, butnot limited to, gripping the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, grippinga baseball bat or a golf club, and gripping a bar associated with eitherweights to be lifted or an exercise apparatus.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the short-fingeredglove member 5 is manufactured from a soft, flexible and cushionmaterial. A set of pads 9 are located over the front of the glove member5 to lie between the wearer's palm and the article (e.g., the handle bar7 of FIG. 1) to be gripped. Since the glove member 5 is known, only abrief description thereof will be provided. Projecting upwardly at thetop of the glove member 5 are four finger sleeves 10 in which toslidably receive respective ones of the wearer's fingers. Projectingoutwardly near a side of the glove member 5 is a thumb sleeve 12 inwhich to slidably receive the user's thumb.

Each of the finger and thumb sleeves 10 and 12 of the conventional glovemember 5 is cut off and shortened relative to the full length of thewearer's fingers and thumb. That is, when the glove member 5 is locatedon the hand of a wearer, the finger sleeves 10 and the thumb sleeve 12terminate at approximately the proximal inter-phalangeal joints, abovethe knuckles of the wearer's fingers and thumb. Thus, each of thewearer's fingers and thumb will extend outwardly of and through thefinger and thumb sleeves 10 and 12 so as to be able to engage thearticle to be gripped. A fastening strap (13 of FIG. 1) at the bottom ofglove member 5 is tightened around the wearer's wrist to hold the glovemember on the wearer's hand.

Details of the optional long-fingered insert 3 are now described whilecontinuing to refer to FIG. 3. The insert 3 is preferably manufacturedfrom a soft and flexible (e.g., fleece) material so as to provide anadded layer of warmth and block the wind from striking the wearer'sfingers. The insert 3 has a finger/thumb entrance opening 14 that issurrounded by a seam 16 to provide the opening with a reinforced layerof support.

As an important aspect of this invention, the insert 3 is sized so thatthe finger/thumb entrance opening 14 thereof will lie well above thewearer's wrist around which the fastening strap 13 at the bottom of theconventional glove member 5 is wrapped, and tightened. Accordingly, theinsert 3 need only enclose the top of the wearer's hand so as to beadvantageously manufactured with both lightweight (e.g., ideally about0.9 ounces) and compact (so as to consume relatively little space whenused in combination with the glove member 5) characteristics.

More particularly, when the insert 3 is located on the hand of a wearer,the finger/thumb entrance opening 14 surrounds the hand within an areabetween the palm and the bottoms of the fingers and thumb (best shown inFIGS. 4 and 5). In other words, to maintain the lightweight and compactcharacteristics of the insert 3, the finger/thumb entrance opening 14will preferably lay across the front of the hand at or above thewearer's palm and below his fingers.

The long-fingered insert 3 includes a set of four finger sleeves 20 thatextend upwardly from the seam 16 which runs around the finger/thumbentrance opening 14. The finger sleeves 20 of insert 3 are sized toslidably receive and completely surround the wearer's fingers.Projecting outwardly from the seam 16 near one side of the insert 3 is athumb sleeve 22. The thumb sleeve 22 of insert 3 is sized to slidablyreceive and completely surround the wearer's thumb. Thus, unlike thefinger and thumb sleeves 10 and 12 of the short-fingered glove member 5which surround a portion of the wearer's fingers and thumb, the fingerand thumb sleeves 20 and 22 of the long-fingered insert 3 surround theentire fingers and thumb to cover and warm the wearer's finger and thumbtips as will now be described.

As previously indicated, the short-fingered glove member 5 can be wornover the hand of a wearer alone or in combination with the optionallong-fingered insert 3 to form the riding glove 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and2. Although the use of one insert 3 and one glove member 5 will now bedescribed for covering a single hand, a pair of such inserts 3 and apair of such glove members 5 will be required for both hands of thewearer.

In the case of a chilly early morning or a low temperature and/or awindy bicycle ride when it is desirable to keep one's entire hand(including the finger and thumb tips) covered and warm, the rider firstslips the optional long-fingered insert 3 over his hand in the mannershown in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, the rider slides the top of his handthrough the entrance opening 14 of the insert 3 until his fingers arereceived in and surrounded by respective ones of the finger sleeves 20and his thumb is received in and surrounded by the thumb sleeve 22.

Next, the rider pulls the short-fingered glove member 5 towards hiswrist and over top the long-fingered insert 3. The bottom of the glovemember 5 is typically fastened around the rider's wrist by means of thefastening strap 13. It may thusly be appreciated that the insert 3 isworn under the glove member 5 to form the riding glove 1 including thecombination of inner insert 3 and outer glove member 5. As is best shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, when the riding glove 1 is being worn, the relativelylong finger and thumb sleeves 20 and 22 of the insert 3 extend outwardlyof and past the relatively short finger and thumb sleeves 10 and 12 ofthe glove member 5.

In the case where the temperature during the ride increases and/or thewind subsides, the rider's hands are likely to warm. Thus, the coveringand warmth provided by the optional inner insert 3 may no longer beneeded. After the fastening strap 13 is opened, the rider simply slidesthe outer glove member 5 off the inner insert 3. Next, the insert 3 ispulled off the rider's hand. The rider then slides his hand back intothe short-fingered glove member 5 so that the glove member 5 can be wornas usual for the remainder of the ride or until the temperature beginsto drop or the wind increases.

In the example described above, the riding glove 1 including thecombination inner insert 3 and outer glove member 5 was worn first withthe glove member 5 alone being worn last. Depending upon the time ofday, temperature, weather condition and needs of the rider, the glovemember 5 can be worn alone first and the combination insert 3 and glovemember 5 last.

1. A glove to cover a hand of a wearer, comprising: an inner glovemember to be located over the wearer's hand, said inner glove memberincluding a plurality of finger sleeves within which to receiverespective fingers of the wearer and a thumb sleeve within which toreceive the thumb of the wearer; and an outer glove member to be locatedover said inner glove member, said outer glove member including aplurality of finger sleeves that are shorter than the finger sleeves ofsaid inner glove member, such that the finger sleeves of said innerglove member extend outwardly of and past the finger sleeves of saidouter glove member, said outer glove member also including a thumbsleeve that is shorter than the thumb sleeve of said inner glove member,such that the thumb sleeve of said inner glove member extends outwardlyof and past the finger sleeve of said outer glove member.
 2. The gloverecited in claim 1, wherein said outer glove member is slidable over thetop of and slidable off said inner glove member.
 3. The glove recited inclaim 1, wherein the finger sleeves and the thumb sleeve of said innerglove member are sized to surround and enclose the finger tips and thethumb tip of the wearer.
 4. The glove recited in claim 1, wherein saidinner glove member is manufactured from fleece to warm the wearer'sfingers and thumb.
 5. The glove recited in claim 1, wherein said innerglove member has a length when said inner glove member is located overthe wearer's hand which starts at the wearer's palm and ends at thewearer's finger and thumb tips, and said outer glove member has a lengthwhen said outer glove member is located over said inner glove memberwhich runs from the wearer's wrist to the bottoms of the wearer'sfingers and thumb, such that said inner glove member is shorter thansaid outer glove member.
 6. The glove recited in claim 5, wherein saidouter glove member has a fastening strap adapted to be tightened aroundthe wearer's wrist to hold said outer glove member on the wearer's handand over said inner glove member.
 7. The glove recited in claim 1,wherein said inner glove member includes an entrance opening throughwhich the wearer's fingers and thumb are slidable for receipt by thefinger and thumb sleeves of said inner glove member.
 8. The gloverecited in claim 7, wherein said inner glove member is sized so that theentrance opening thereof surrounds the wearer's hand at a location abovethe wearer's wrist and below the wearer's fingers.
 9. The glove recitedin claim 7, wherein said inner glove member is sized so that when theinner glove member is located over the wearer's hand, the entranceopening thereof extends across the palm at the front of the wearer'shand.
 10. The glove recited in claim 1, wherein the finger sleeves andthe thumb sleeve of said inner glove member are closed so as tocompletely cover the finger and thumb tips of the wearer.
 11. A methodfor using a glove to cover and protect a wearer's hand from cold andwindy weather, said method comprising the steps of: sliding an innerglove member over the wearer's hand, said inner glove member including aplurality of finger sleeves within which to receive respective fingersof wearer and a thumb sleeve within which to receive the thumb of thewearer; sliding an outer glove member over said inner glove member, saidouter glove member including a plurality of finger sleeves that areshorter than the finger sleeves of said inner glove member and a thumbsleeve that is shorter than the thumb sleeve of said inner glove member;and pulling said outer glove member towards the wrist of the wearer,such that the finger sleeves of said inner glove member extend outwardlyof and past the finger sleeves of said outer glove member, and the thumbsleeve of said inner glove member extends outwardly of and past thethumb sleeve of said outer glove member.
 12. The method recited in claim11, comprising the additional steps of sliding said outer glove memberoff said inner glove member, sliding said inner glove member off thehand of the wearer, and sliding said outer glove member over the hand ofthe wearer for covering the wearer's hand independently of said innerglove member.